Compassion Fatigue for Caregivers

"Compassion Fatigue is a state experienced by those helping people or animals in distress; it is an extreme state of tension and preoccupation with the suffering of those being helped to the degree that it can create a secondary traumatic stress for the helper."

The Facts

Caring too much can hurt. When caregivers focus on others without practicing self-care, destructive behaviors can surface. Apathy, isolation, bottled up emotions and substance abuse head a long list of symptoms associated with the secondary traumatic stress disorder now labeled: Compassion Fatigue.

Recognizing Compassion Fatigue

Compassion Fatigue symptoms are normal displays of stress resulting from the care giving work you perform on a regular basis. While the symptoms are often disruptive, depressive, and irritating, an awareness of the symptoms and their negative effect on your life can lead to positive change, personal transformation, and a new resiliency. Reaching a point where you have control over your own life choices will take time and hard work. There is no magic involved. There is only a commitment to make your life the best it can be.

Chronic physical ailments such as gastrointestinal problems and recurrent colds

Apathy, sad, no longer finds activities pleasurable

Difficulty concentrating

Mentally and physically tired

Preoccupied

In denial about problems

Compassion Fatigue is sinister, as it edges on guilt and grows from a desire to maintain care of a loved one based on what we feel they may want. Remember, you can’t take care of anyone, if you don’t take care of yourself first!

The Path to Wellness

Once you realize that you are a candidate for compassion fatigue, or are already suffering its effects, exploring this new awareness can lead to insights concerning past traumas, pain, and defeating behaviors. A common and understandable coping mechanism in care giving is to simply stuff the overwhelming emotions that surface repeatedly in your work. How else can you keep going? Eventually, those emotions refuse to be ignored. All too often, psychological and physical crisis occurs.

With support, insightful information, and authentic self-care, you can begin to understand the complexity of the emotions you've been juggling and, most likely, suppressing. Most people never take the time to understand how their jobs affect them emotionally. Give yourself credit for moving forward and affecting change. Your hard work will pay off.

Authentic and Sustainable Self Care Begins With You:

Be kind to yourself.

Enhance your awareness with education.

Accept where you are on your path at all times.

Understand that those close to you may not be there when you need them most.